The present invention relates generally to telecommunications. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for identifying mobile telecommunications users and transmitting location-based data to them based upon preferences or matching requirements specified by the users.
Mobile telecommunications users often desire information related to their geographic location. In numerous applications, such as convenience shopping and determining an optimal automobile travel route, data related to the geographic location of the user is provided to the user. For example, the Vindigo system is an Internet-based xe2x80x9cfind-itxe2x80x9d service in which a user of a Palm personal data assistant (xe2x80x9cPDAxe2x80x9d) having wireless connectivity to the Internet can request the location of the nearest restaurant or movie theater. The database of subscribing service locations, stored on a computer server connected to the Internet or World Wide Web, is queried when the request is received. Matching information, including location information, regarding the requested service based on the location of the PDA is transmitted to the Palm PDA device over the wireless network connection. This system has a drawback, however, in that the user must specify the location of the requesting PDA because its location is not automatically xe2x80x9ctrackedxe2x80x9d by a position determining system like the Global Positioning System (GPS).
As another example, the OnStar automobile navigation system uses cellular phone technology and automatic GPS tracking to send information to the automobile or to services organizations that support the automobile. In particular, driving directions may be provided to a stranded motorist based on his GPS-determined location and a desired destination. Also, remote services, such as contacting the nearest emergency services in the event of an airbag deployment or remotely unlocking the automobile in the event the keys are locked within the car, are also provided based on the GPS-determined location of the automobile. This system is limited, however, in that two such automobiles equipped with the OnStar system can not request information related to the position of each other.
Other systems and methods for delivering local information to mobile travelers, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,090, permit a data profile or specific set of preferred facilities to be specified by a mobile communications device user. The mobile communications devices disclosed in this patent contain a GPS transmitter. As the user""s telecommunications device moves from location to location, a central resource server provides data to the mobile user through the mobile communications device corresponding to the user""s selected preferences, for example a list of desired hotels, restaurants, or gas stations. Like the OnStar system, no provision is made for the simultaneous tracking and notification of a plurality of mobile users based on the positions of the other users.
Thus, it is desirable for a telecommunications system to notify a first mobile communications user of a second mobile communications user, including providing information related to the location of the second mobile communications device. Such user notification may be based on a physical proximity to one another and/or notification preferences specified by the users. Further, it is often desirable to permit an xe2x80x9cavailabilityxe2x80x9d status to other mobile communications users to further qualify the transmission of the information related to a user""s location to other users, even when physical proximity and notification preference requirements are met.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a system for matching users of mobile communications devices is provided comprising a first mobile communications device for transmitting information defining a location of the first mobile communications device and a user receiving status; a second mobile communications device for transmitting information defining a location of the second mobile communications device and a user receiving status; and a central unit having a processor coupled to a memory, the central unit capable of communicating with the first mobile communications device over a first wireless communications link and with the second mobile communications device over a second wireless communications link, the memory storing a first user profile including information associated with a user of the first mobile communications device and a second user profile including information associated with a user of the second mobile communications device, wherein the central unit receives the user receiving statuses and the information defining the locations of the first and the second mobile communications devices and wherein the processor receives the first and the second user profiles to match information of the users and, if there is a match and depending upon the user receiving statuses, effects the transmission to the first mobile communications device of locating information for the second mobile communications device and effects the transmission to the second mobile communications device of locating information for the first mobile communications device, the locating information for each of the devices being based upon the information defining the locations of the first and the second mobile communications devices.
In the above invention, it is also desirable to provide a system in which the first user profile and the second user profile each of which includes a location, area, or volume and the match of information of the users includes a match of the location, area, or volume contained in the first user profile with the location of the second mobile communications device and a match of the location, area, or volume contained in the second user profile with the location of the first mobile communications device in the invention above.
In another aspect of the invention, it is desirable to provide a system for matching users of mobile communications devices comprising a first mobile communications device for transmitting information defining a location of the first mobile communications device and a user receiving status; a second mobile communications device for transmitting information defining a location of the second mobile communications device; and a central unit having a processor coupled to a memory, the central unit capable of communicating with the first mobile communications device over a first wireless communications link and with the second mobile communications device over a second wireless communications link, the memory storing a first user profile including information associated with a user of the first mobile communications device and a second user profile including information associated with a user of the second mobile communications device, wherein the central unit receives the user receiving status from the first mobile communications device and the information defining the locations of the first and the second mobile communications devices and wherein the processor receives the first and the second user profiles to match information of the users and, if there is a match and depending upon the user receiving status, effects the transmission to the first mobile communications device of locating information based upon the information defining the locations of the first and the second mobile communications devices.
In the above invention, it is also desirable to provide a system in which the first user profile includes a location, area, or volume and the match of information of the users includes a match of the location, area, or volume with the location of the second mobile communications device. Further, the system may include features in which the user receiving status is provided by a power-on state of the first mobile telecommunications device.
In yet another aspect, the present invention includes a system for matching users of mobile communications devices comprising a first mobile communications device for transmitting information defining a location of the first mobile communications device; a second mobile communications device for transmitting information defining a location of the second mobile communications device and a user sending status; and a central unit having a processor coupled to a memory, the central unit capable of communicating with the first mobile communications device over a first wireless communications link and with the second mobile communications device over a second wireless communications link, the memory storing a first user profile including information associated with a user of the first mobile communications device and a second user profile including information associated with a user of the second mobile communications device, wherein the central unit receives the user sending status from the second mobile communications device and the information defining the locations of the first and the second mobile communications devices and wherein the processor receives the first and the second user profiles to match information of the users and, if there is a match and depending upon the user sending status, effects the transmission to the first mobile communications device of locating information based upon the information defining the locations of the first and the second mobile communications devices.
In the above invention, it is also desirable to provide a system in which the first user profile includes a location, area, or volume and the match of information of the users includes a match of the location, area, or volume with the location of the second mobile communications device. It is also desirable to provide a system in which the user sending status is provided by a power on state of the second mobile telecommunications device or in which the locating information is locating information for the second mobile communications device. Systems are further contemplated in which the locating information includes a location other than the location of either the first mobile communications device or the second mobile communications device or in which at least one of the first and the second mobile communications devices includes an input device for inputting the profile information.
In the above invention, it is also desirable to provide a system in which the user profile information includes characteristics of the user and preferences of the user, and the match of information of the users includes matching preferences of the first user with characteristics of the second user and preferences of the second user with characteristics of the first user. It is also desirable to provide a system in which at least one user and the preferences of at least one user is selected from the group consisting of a business relationship, a social relationship, a family relationship, physical characteristics, food, clothing, sports, entertainment, music, and video or in which at least one of the first and the second mobile communications devices is a cellular phone, a pager, a personal data assistant, a global positioning system receiver, a transponder, a radio, a walkie-talkie, or a wireless Internet access device. Further it is desirable to provide systems in which the information defining the location of at least one of the first and the second mobile communications devices includes an address, an intersection, a landmark, a marker, co-ordinates, or a telephone number or in which the locating information includes a map, vectors, directions, and an address.
In the above invention, it is also desirable to provide a system in which the locating information includes audio information, video information, textual information, or graphical information or in which the locating information is updated to track a movement of at least one of the first and the second mobile communications devices or in which the central unit transmits additional information to at least one of the first and second mobile communications devices with the locating information. It is also desirable to provide a system in which additional information is obtained from an Internet web site or in which the user profile of at least one of the first mobile communications device and the second mobile communications device includes information identifying the user of the other mobile communications device.
In yet another aspect, the present invention includes a system for notifying a first user and a second user of mobile communications devices of each other""s presence comprising a first mobile communications device for the first user, the first mobile communications device transmitting a location of the first user and a first user receiving status; a second mobile communications device for the second user, the second mobile communications device transmitting a location of the second user and a second user receiving status; and a central unit having a processor coupled to a memory, the central unit capable of communicating with the first mobile communications device over a first wireless communications link and with the second mobile communications device over a second wireless communications link, the memory storing a profile for each of the first user and the second user, wherein the central unit matches the first user and the second user if the first user profile contains a preference for the second user and the second user profile contains a preference for the first user and the location of the first user and the location of the second user are within a specified distance of one another, the central unit transmitting the location of the first user to the second user and the location of the second user to the first user upon making the match and depending upon the first and second user receiving statuses.
In a final aspect, the present invention includes a child location system for notifying a parent comprising a mobile communications device for a parent; a mobile communications device for a child, the mobile communications device for the child capable of transmitting a location of the child and a status indicator for the mobile communications device of the child; and a central unit coupled to a memory, the central unit coupled to the mobile communications device for the parent over a first mobile communications link and coupled to the mobile communications device for the child over a second mobile communications link, the memory storing a parent profile including information identifying the mobile communications device of the child and a child profile including information identifying the mobile communications device of the parent, the central unit receiving the status indicator and the location of the child from the second mobile communications device and making a match between the mobile communications device of the parent and the mobile communications device of the child based on the parent profile and the child profile, the central unit transmitting information related to the location of the child to the mobile communications device of the parent over the first mobile communications link upon making said match when the location of the child is outside a predefined boundary.